Cookies & Cream Cake
This Cookies & Cream Cake is soft, moist, and loaded with real chocolate sandwich cookie pieces in every bite. With a tender vanilla cake base and a creamy cookies-and-cream frosting, this homemade cake delivers classic flavor without being overly sweet or dry. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or anytime you’re craving a nostalgic dessert, this easy cookies and cream cake recipe is guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
- Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 18 –20 chocolate sandwich cookies coarsely crushed
- Cookies & Cream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 10 chocolate sandwich cookies finely crushed
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pans
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Make the cake batter
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix batter
- Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in alternating additions with milk. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in cookies
- Gently fold in crushed cookies with a spatula, keeping chunks intact.
- Bake
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare frosting
- Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla and cream. Fold in crushed cookies.
- Assemble cake
- Frost cooled cake layers and decorate with extra cookie crumbs if desired.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light and tender.
- Crush cookies coarsely for better texture and flavor distribution.
- Never frost warm cake layers—this prevents melting and sliding.